NBA AM: Who Signed A Contract Extension?

Teams had until 11:59 p.m. EST last night to extend players who were drafted in the first round of the 2013 draft. Most of the deals were agreed upon yesterday, while some of the deals happened well before the deadline.

In total, there were eight players from the draft class who were able to strike deals on extensions. The rest of the players from the first round still under their rookie-scale contract can become restricted free agents come next summer.

Let’s take a look at the eight players who signed extensions with their teams:

C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers: Four years, $106 million

McCollum was the first to sign a contract extension from this draft class over the summer. The Trail Blazers had a busy offseason and mainly just took care of their pending free agents, with McCollum becoming a beneficiary. Signing McCollum to an extension was a no-brainer for the Trail Blazers. The team has one of the best backcourts in the league in McCollum and Damian Lillard, and with both players on new deals, they’ll be together for the long haul.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks: Four years, $100 million

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Bucks locked in Antetokounmpo for another four years. The Greek Freak brings so much to the game and is a huge reason why fans remain so optimistic for the future of the Bucks. He’s improved in nearly every statistical category in each of his three seasons in the league prior to this season, and if his first few games of this season are any indication, he’ll see even more improvement during his 2016-17 campaign.

Dennis Schroder, Atlanta Hawks: Four years, $70 million

While McCollum and Antetokounmpo signed their extensions during the offseason, Schroder was the first to get his done during the season. The Hawks and Schroder agreed to his four-year, $70 million extension last week. After trading away Jeff Teague over the summer, the team decided to hand the keys to the offense over to Schroder. His deal may not be a no-brainer like McCollum’s and Antetokounmpo’s since he hasn’t played in a starter’s role much, but the team clearly believes in him and is ready to see what he can develop into.

Victor Oladipo, Oklahoma City Thunder: Four-years, $84 million

Reports surfaced over the weekend that the Thunder were closing in on extensions for both Oladipo and Steven Adams. The Thunder acquired Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and Domantas Sabonis from the Orlando Magic on draft night in exchange for Serge Ibaka. Paired up next to Russell Westbrook, the Thunder have arguably one of the most athletic backcourts in the league. In three games for the Thunder, Oladipo is averaging 17 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and one steal.

Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder: Four-years, $100 million

Shortly after news broke that Oladipo and the Thunder agreed to an extension, it was reported that Adams and the Thunder agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal. Adams has become a key member of the Thunder’s lineup over the past few seasons and has posted improvements in each year. His stock around the league is rising and he’s on his way to becoming among the best centers in the game.

Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz: Four-years, $100 million

Gobert has established himself as one of the best defensive centers in the league and seemed to be a lock to receive an extension. The Jazz have made a name for themselves by becoming a great defensive team and Gobert is a huge part of that. Last year, Gobert averaged 9.1 points, 11 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. It’s hard to believe that he was the 27th pick in the draft, but he’s worked hard to get to where he is today and the Jazz rewarded him accordingly.

Gorgui Dieng, Minnesota Timberwolves: Four-years, $64 million

Dieng and the Timberwolves agreeing to an extension was perhaps one of the most underrated deals that got done before the deadline. Dieng became a regular starter at the end of January and excelled in that role. He averaged 7.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 43 games off of the bench, but increased those numbers to 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 39 games as a starter. The Timberwolves appear to be building something special and locked up a piece of that future by re-signing Dieng for another four years.

Cody Zeller, Charlotte Hornets: Four-years, $56 million

Locking in Zeller on a four-year, $56 million deal seems like a great deal for the Hornets. Although Zeller hasn’t necessarily put up huge numbers thus far in his career, it seems likely he could have earned a huge offer sheet next summer in free agency. As free agency proved this past summer, there is still a market for big men and Zeller could have potentially earned more in July. Zeller gives the team some versatility, as he has proven that he can be viable as a starter or off of the bench.

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Some notable players who didn’t receive extensions were Otto Porter, Alex Len, Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee among others. Overall, it didn’t feel like there were any surprises this time around with contract extensions. Most of the players that were expected to receive extensions got them.